The Munchkin's first week at Daycare...

Age of Lady Kaitlyn:  6 months and 4 days

Family,

Possum Kingdom here we come!

And a good Sunday afternoon to you from the Queen City, where Team Taylor has LOVED some much needed and highly anticipated quiet family time this weekend.  Alas, it will end too soon for this humble bard, as a flight to the Southern Cone is calling me.  Before I make my stage, however, I did want to at least recap the week, which has been a tough one emotionally for Team Taylor - K's first week at daycare and Jenny's return to work.

First, the good news:

1.  Jenny really likes her job and the people she works with.   Her manager is terrific and very understanding of her situation, and most of the folks sitting with her also have young children and are focused on a solid work/life balance. I can't say enough how happy I am about that, as I'm sure that has made and will continue to make the transition easier.

2.  After a tough first day, K seems to be adjusting nicely to her surroundings at Daycare.  She already seems to recognize the other kids and the teachers, and she's actually adjusted her schedule quite nicely to a routine that fits for all parties.

3.  Whilst the house is insanely silent, I also have found peace and a balance in this early going.  Selfishly I've been very lucky, as I now get even more bonding time with Kaitlyn.  I get to wake her and feed her in the morning, and I take her to daycare prior to kicking off my day.  My team has been terrific about managing around my 6-7:30 AM "blackout period," and being with her (even if she's a bit fussy) is obviously a great way to start the day.

Now, the tough part:

1.  I don't want to speak for the missus, but I think it's safe to say that she misses her morning and afternoon time with Kaitlyn terribly.  She's been an absolutely trooper, but I know she's worried that Kaitlyn is going to forget who her mommy is.  Whilst I know this isn't the case (Kaitlyn still lights up like a Christmas tree when she sees her, and she doesn't hug anybody the way she hugs her mom), it's still obviously tough for her to see someone else spending 9 hours a day with her.  The part that kills me is that I can't do anything to help ease the pain - not an easy predicament for someone who's a self-proclaimed "fixer!"

The Infant room - where the magic happens...

2.  The schedule is now much more regimented and demanding.  The day starts at 5:45 and goes non-stop until about 9 PM, with a 30 minute "decompression break" in there at some point around dinnertime.  Now I know this will get easier (in fact, it already has in terms of managing one's time), but that was a big adjustment, and I definitely find myself less rested (despite getting in bed before 10 PM every night - those Monday Night Football games are a thing of the past).

3.  The agony of the balance - work vs. family:  this isn't a cliche - this is ABSOLUTELY true.  How does one balance the needs of the family with the demands of work?  Our managers and teammates have been TERRIFIC, but there's still a guilt that you ultimately can't avoid.  I don't know that we (or anyone) will ever figure that one out, but I like advice from one of my friends:  "Wherever you are at that moment, be there 100%.  It's not a science, and you have to give yourself credit for what you do right as well as what you do wrong."  Personally, I think we're doing ok at present, but it's still been a draining week emotionally and mentally, especially knowing that I'll be out of town for a bit next week.  

The schedule has been:

5:45 - wakeup and shower

6 - wake up the munchkin, 5 min of tummy time

6:05-6:15 - lotion, diaper change, outfit change

6:15-6:35 - feed while JT pumps and gets ready

6:35-6:45 - burp and a little playtime

6:45-7 - Pack-up and get out the door

7:15 - arrive at Daycare

Daycare is a place called Gateway Academy, and they've been terrific so far - very patient with us as we learn the ropes (no shoes in the infant room, always wash your hands upon entry, breast milk in a sealed bag, etc).  We really like the teachers, and I've been happily surprised to find them always engaged with Kaitlyn upon my arrival - either singing to her, talking to her on the playmat, or something else.

Day 1 was tough for her, but I think it was because she was SO tired.  She'd gone to bed at her normal time, but she work up at 6 AM, an hour earlier than normal.  By Day 2, however, she was already a rockstar, logging 2 solid naps and building out a terrific schedule.  Days 3-5 were just as good, but an interesting change has already transpired - it seems as though K wants to drop her last nap of the day (usually around 4-5:15), because she's consistently waking up at daycare between 1-1:30 and staying awake until bedtime (between 6:45-7).  Part of it is the noise at daycare - the teachers told us that anytime another child makes a loud noise or a child cries, K always wakes up (which we always expected).  However, some of it is, I think, the Munchkin just continuing to grow up!  And whilst she is VERY tired by the time her head hits the pillow for the evening, she's nowhere near as fussy as I thought she'd be.  Plus she will usually manage a quick cat nap in the infant carrier on the drive home from Daycare, so again - I can't complain.


Day 5 featured more than just wrapping the first week of daycare - THE MUNCHKIN HAD HER 6 MONTH APPOINTMENT!  I am VERY pleased and proud to say that all went well.  We did get yelled at for not yet starting her on solid foods, but that's on the schedule for the immediate future (aka some time later this week).  In terms of motor skills, coordination, and physical inspection, everything seemed right on track, and we were told that we have a very healthy, happy girl.  THAT, ladies and gentleman, is all any mother and father could ever want to hear. :-)

In terms of the statistics, the munchkin is now 16 pounds and 5 ounces, putting her in the 50th percentile for weight.  Oddly enough, she's now down to just the 12th percentile for height, coming in at 24.5 inches.  But the biggest announcement is that her little bone head is now in the 25th percentile!  Oh, yeah - feel the brain power, baby!!!

Check out my new high chair!

Oh, and as if there wasn't ENOUGH in this post already, how's this for a milestone - THE MUNCH ROLLED OVER ON THURSDAY!!!!!!  That's right, sports fans - Kaitlyn Elaine Taylor has crossed off another BIG milestone!  She was in her crib, and we had literally JUST LOOKED AWAY for a second before Jenny said, "It sure went quiet."  Well, she went to check the monitor again (I had walked upstairs), and then she suddenly comes pounding up the stairs saying "I think she just rolled over."  well, we bounded in there like we were rescuing her from the zombie apocalypse, only to find her quite calm, checking out the new view of the world.  We flipped her back over, and, well - SHE STARTED SCREAMING LIKE A BANSHEE.  But soon enough she was calm, and we've not yet had a repeat performance.  However, that girl is ALL OVER her crib, so it's only a matter of time.  Her favorite activity now is sliding all the way to the top of the crib and falling asleep once her head's squarely in the corner - too cute.

Working on "sitties" - we're almost there!
Well, until K falls over and crashes into our
ankles - how does she always find the one spot
she should NOT crash into?

The weekend itself has been amazing.  Friday night we went to a party at Hitman's house, where we had an absolute blast and stayed over in his attached 2 bedroom apartment (talk about a KILLER view - that place feels like a vacation home!), and we spent Saturday watching football and going for a walk in the PERFECT weather.  It was the Munch's first time facing forward in our B.O.B. and she loved it - so much more for her to see and do.  And now that we finally have the BOB's tires inflating, pushing her uphill is even manageable (of course, not having the infant carrier in there - about 15-20 lbs - certainly helps as well!).

Oh, and I would be remiss if I didn't mark a win for the ages and Kaitlyn's roll in it.  After being lifetime 0-7 vs. the Big Ten, the UCF Golden Knights had a win for the ages in Happy Valley last night, knocking off the Penn State Nittany Lions 34-31 in a classic before a near capacity crowd of almost 100,000 people!  Big win for the program, baby!  Now let's see if they can repeat it in Columbia, SC, next weekend.  We'll be doing our part here in the Queen City, as K will be wearing what we've officially decided is her lucky Knights outfit!  This was the outfit she was wearing (while passed out, but details) when the Knights shocked Penn State - I feel a tradition brewing!

U-C-F!  Let's goooooooo Knights!

Okay, I know this one was long, but WOW - what a week.  6 months of age, the 6 month dr. appt, a great weekend, AND the start of daycare.  No two ways about it - Jenny and I are SPENT emotionally, mentally, and physically.  That being said, we now know what to expect, and the new routine is already forming.  Jenny's down to 3 pumps a day (and amazingly, her body has figured that out and started producing more at each session - the human body really is a miracle).

Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't brag on my wife for how she's handled this week.  Emotionally, she's had to do the impossible and trust our daughter to total strangers.  Mentally, she's had to begin work in a new role with new activities and new challenges, all with her trainer starting a 2 week vacation tomorrow.  Physically she's now getting up at 5 AM every day, working a full day, pumping 3 times, managing household chores, AND continuing to spend quality time with our baby girl.    No other way to say it - Mother of the Year.

Okay, this guy is gonna watch the Panthers for a bit and get something to eat before the Munch wakes up.  Sammy the Bull flies to Sao Paulo in 4 hours, so he wants to get all the quality time in he can ahead of saying farewell.

Chat soon!

Love,

Sam and Jenny